The role of pharma in social media has been hotly debated for several years, but an even more urgent issue concerns the lack of spending for mobile ads in the pharma sphere. Aryeh Lebeau describes the problem and several ways for brands to expand their presence and ability on mobile with his Medical Marketing & Media article, “Why the Time is Ripe for Pharma to Embrace Mobile.”

With a recent surge in smartphone and tablet users focused around health, it is estimated that nearly half of all web traffic about health is now on mobile. Many metrics show that web access from the mobile realm is outstripping desktops, and yet healthcare and pharma have the lowest budget share for mobile advertising of the major industries at 26.5 percent—and the majority of this goes into search instead of display.

It was acceptable a few years back for pharma brands to utilize websites not optimized for use on mobile platforms. The tipping point for this crucial transition has arrived, however, and few brands have actually managed to develop their capabilities beyond the desktop to mobile.

Three tips for pharma companies looking transition from desktop to mobile include:

  • Build mobile ads with cross-platform usability in mind to avoid conflicts with screen sizes, publishing the best content using responsive design on sites where ads are seen in full zoom.
  • Use HTML5, which is replacing Adobe Flash as the major tool for brands in need of creativity for their ads.
  • Define distinct KPIs. Mobile-optimized brand sites are generally quite different from their desktop counterparts. Evaluate KPIs differently, focusing on actions people are more likely to take on mobile devices.

If you’re in healthcare, insurance, technology or other professional services industries, and need help with a PR, marketing or social media campaign, contact Scott Public Relations.

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